Just popped in to wish my fellow casuals a happy new year!

 

Also, I've discovered a few things about myself when it comes to SWTOR( better late than never)

I used to play WoW, and I loved the pvp, however, ever since I started playing this game, I've pretty much stayed away from pvp, it's just not been for me here, the other day, I all of a sudden was having fun with it( queued up for the points) as a healer no less! And this is coming from someone who's been playing this game on and off since not too long after launch, but just I only this year leveled my first ever healer , and, who would have thought, that that's what was needed for me to find pvp fun in here.

 

Although, some things never change, just like in so many other games, people don't really peel for their healer... and of course blame the healer for them dying when they run in on their own against 3 people( nevermind that they didn't have any healer in range of them)

That's awesome to hear, djungelvraaal! I'm nowhere remotely even resembling any sort of readiness to give PVP a go, but my helm's off to those that can.

Me, I think I might be nearing the last missions of Makeb. Last night I came across the ONE mission that continues to be my least-liked mission out of all of them I've played from Classic to KOTFE's Chapter 9—

Tonight was my 5th or 6th time running the mission, now with my current alt, and it finally clicked or something with me, so I managed to get through in what must have been a record time (for me)!!

I will add that I think I'm pretty overpowered for Makeb from how I remember my last visits there. And back then, I had to check in at a special station to get the planetary buff (am I remembering this right?) and then the rest was just playthrough. Several of the fights that I expected to be long were unexpectedly over before I even found a "rotation" in combat. Not that I mind, as it has been helping me through the Makeb SWTORyline at a much better pace than I recall from previous visits.

I am currently level 69, of course, while I'm being synced back to level 56. But the overpower feeling is more noticeable on Makeb than it was in previous planets where I was typically ten levels ahead of the planetary max.

Anyhoo...

I will add that I think I'm pretty overpowered for Makeb from how I remember my last visits there. And back then, I had to check in at a special station to get the planetary buff (am I remembering this right?) and then the rest was just playthrough.

I read that this station is gone. Together with the "Level Sync" ... I haven't visited Makeb since 4.0, I think ...

I read that this station is gone. Together with the "Level Sync" ... I haven't visited Makeb since 4.0, I think ...

Yep. Deactivated, and yet apparently not needed anymore due to adjustments and tuning— if this old casual player being able to progress through Makeb is any indication.

Good afternoon and may your new year be a happy one!

Well, I sure did take advantage of my vacation, having progressed my Sith Marauder all the way through to the first Ops mission of Oricon— which is as far as I'll be able to go with the solo SWTORyline I guess.

That means that my next move is Prelude: Knights of the Fallen Empire, which means that I am at the moment of truth, when, out of some 60-70 alts over these last 5 years, I finally cross one over to Galactic Command's system.

Admittedly, I'm hesitant to do so, because there will be no take-backs, no turning-backs.

There's also the small matter of what I was expecting to see:

Is there anything specific I should think about doing before I take the plunge once and for all?

been playing pretty heavily over the holidays.

Sorcerer is up to level 43 or 44, but not yet to Taris. Done my first Bounty week missions the past few days and they're nice and fun. Been skipping most planetary arcs, just doing Class missions and the odd Flashpoint and occasional random quick pickup quest (one was literally "go say hi to this guy!"). Really enjoying the story, and looking forward to doing the Shadow Of Revan stuff with her once I get through the main story. Have been trying to play full Darkside but the occasional accidental Lightside choice shows me she's conflicted.

Finished up KOTET on my boosted Knight. Been doing Flashpoints and Heroics when they've been the daily bonus. Even done some more PVP to get that droid fella for my Alliance. I'm relatively bad most of the time but have felt like I've helped win a few matches, and they're generally over quick and give great CXP. For all the whining about Command Crates from the hardcore players (of which I'm definitely not, so can't comment as to the validity of their concerns) I've been pretty lucky with my drops. My Knight is in pretty much full 230 rating gear, aside from maybe one or two 220 auxiliary pieces.

My Smuggler hasn't done anything since getting to the FPs at the end of Ilum. Well, he's been sat in the Stronghold, playing the market and opening up some packs because I was weak, and had Christmas money...Got some good stuff, some really good stuff, and a whole lot of really pretty darn average and junk. But selling stuff has amassed me enough credits to start being able to actually look into getting things that will fit other toons when I get around to them and make those playthrough's much more fun and engaging.

Happy New Year! It's been a crazy couple weeks but I just read through all I missed. As ever, I've enjoyed your stories.

Good afternoon and may your new year be a happy one!

 

Well, I sure did take advantage of my vacation, having progressed my Sith Marauder all the way through to the first Ops mission of Oricon— which is as far as I'll be able to go with the solo SWTORyline I guess.

 

That means that my next move is Prelude: Knights of the Fallen Empire, which means that I am at the moment of truth, when, out of some 60-70 alts over these last 5 years, I finally cross one over to Galactic Command's system.

 

Admittedly, I'm hesitant to do so, because there will be no take-backs, no turning-backs.

 

There's also the small matter of what I was expecting to see:

 

 

I thought that at some point prior to KOTFE, my character is subjected to or submits to being carbon froze— which leads to me awakening from carbon sleep 5 years later as KOTFE opens. But unless that scene happens at the end of Oricon's Ops missions, I can't find the mission that leads to that important SWTORy point.

 

Is there anything specific I should think about doing before I take the plunge once and for all?

Congrats! If you've fully completed the expansions and are down to the end of Oricon (and you've done Rishi and Manaan and Yavin IV and had all that fun) then

At least that's how it worked for me on my Marauder in my most recent playthrough.

Congrats! If you've fully completed the expansions and are down to the end of Oricon (and you've done Rishi and Manaan and Yavin IV and had all that fun) then

The odd thing is, I must've done Rishi, Manaan, and Yavin IV at least once before now, because I remembered several parts of it as I moved through those planets. And it must've been before the level sync was added, because I remember it being a LOT more difficult.

It also reminded me of one other thing: I only progressed alts to the max level. So, on my earliest alts which I still have, they never went past level 55. Later, 65 became my stopping point. After all, what was the point of doing missions if I already achieved maximum level? So, I set those alts aside until the level cap would be increased to take advantage of the XP earned.

Which brings me to the Command XP topic. I hit L70 sometime very early into Shadow of Revan, I think. Now, I'm under the CXP system it seems, earning 25 CXP per solo mission (well, 28, since I have been using the CXP buff, too). I'm Rank 7 now that I'm at the send of the solo missions of Oricon and back on my ship awaiting the fatal moment of crossover. I don't notice any issues or problems with the earning rate. The bar moves across at a decent rate for me, and I'm only interested in being able to do the solo SWTORyline anyhow.

RNG. Well, considering that there has been RNG in the game from the moment of inception, I guess that's another area I don't see any big deals to go on about from this straight-through. I did have a main hand weapon drop back around Corellia that was so well-stacked that I couldn't top it with anything until I reached level 70. The rest of the drops have been primarily wrist pieces, and a belt or two, and they get swapped out when they offer better stats--but none of them have been as remarkable as that main hand weapon. Overall, everything is random anyhow from what I can tell.

But that's only my opinion as a person who plays casually outside of this 2-week vacation. I'll likely never have a fully-complete stat-buffed outfit, nor do I seem myself needing one for the solo content at this point. Now, will I go back and do some heroics to see if anything interesting drops? Probably, but it's not very high on my priority list at the moment.

I'm just trying to brace myself for the crossover, which I will begin today.

That's awesome to hear, djungelvraaal! I'm nowhere remotely even resembling any sort of readiness to give PVP a go, but my helm's off to those that can.

I'm never ready for PVP, but that doesn't stop me!! I think I'm getting better in Warzones, but I would never ask for opinions... The voices in my head that tell me so are much nicer (they worship me non-stop during PVP).

My plan for ny holidys was getting higher command levels for several of my characters, but creating 4 new characters has been my true occupation... I'm an addict!

And Happy New Year!! My new year resolution is creating my first Healer! Let's see if I'm brave enough to fulfill it

And Happy New Year!! My new year resolution is creating my first Healer! Let's see if I'm brave enough to fulfill it

Cool! My very first SWTOR character was a Jedi Consular who healed. My second was a DPS Sith Marauder and I guess I never looked back after that. Fell in love with being able to beat down my foes with a light saber, up close and personal.

It's one thing to be responsible for keeping a companion alive, but a whole group of people? Wow! I have nothing short of full respect for those whom the Force calls to fill that need across the Galaxy!

We look forward to your triumphs, Jacob_Cora! And if you ever figure out how to be a healer and NOT pull aggro, would you please let me know? Seemed to be a regular thing during my freshman introduction to a healing class.

PS, I sure gave myself some laughs as I kept inadvertently healing the baddies who were attacking my companion, Qyzen Fess (I'm Soooooo sorry, Qyzen!). But come on, wasn't it bad enough that I was healing them? Why did they have to come over and beat on me after that?!

My plan for ny holidys was getting higher command levels for several of my characters, but creating 4 new characters has been my true occupation... I'm an addict!

Can I get a witness?!! !!

Me too! In fact, I already have my next alt all set up and rar'ing to go; but I have to be good. If I switch, I won't be back to this one. I may say that I will. Someday. But it will never happen, and I have a starship full of alts as proof.

No, I'm going to stick this through, get a feel for the story as a whole just to experience it in context.

I can't really see me crossing over more than one other alt, though. A Pub for the counter, even though the stories are definitely less open world and more linear, I've noticed since Rise of the Hutt Cartel.

Which I'm okay with because Classic is just my pace as a casual, and offers enough diversity in activities and goals to keep me busy for a long time to go in a galaxy far, far away.

This thread is what makes the SWTOR community stand head and shoulder above any other. I've been around since the game launched, but haven't started to play the game properly until last month. Everywhere I go, I meet friendly people who gets you orientated without any hassle.

Oh wow! What motivated you to start playing the game "properly," Parane? And what server are you on? Several of us are Shadowlanders, it seems.

And how does one define "properly" anyhow?

Well, I crossed over yesterday and the Galaxy didn't come to an unexpected end. In fact, I got as far as Chapter VI, the pacing was so spot-on!

I only progressed as far as Chapter 9 the last time I played the KOTFE SWTORyline, in fact, so everything will be fresh and new beyond that point. I also appear to be well-geared for the content. Not to mention the near-constant obligatory target practice on Skytroopers to make sure my mad skillz with button mashing and mouse clicking are good and ready, lol!

I didn't have a love interest to open KOTFE with, but chose Vette as my go-to gal for a significant early conversation before everything really began to hit the fan.

Also had the pleasure of briefly chatting with one of our esteemed Casuals here in the new CasualCorner channel that was started up by a fellow SWTORian.

And how were your holidays? Did you have any time spent playing the SWTORy?

Well, I crossed over yesterday and the Galaxy didn't come to an unexpected end. In fact, I got as far as Chapter VI, the pacing was so spot-on!

 

I only progressed as far as Chapter 9 the last time I played the KOTFE SWTORyline, in fact, so everything will be fresh and new beyond that point. I also appear to be well-geared for the content. Not to mention the near-constant obligatory target practice on Skytroopers to make sure my mad skillz with button mashing and mouse clicking are good and ready, lol!

 

[...]

 

And how were your holidays? Did you have any time spent playing the SWTORy?

I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far. It's been fun for me, but I'm only up to chapter IX. On several characters.... None of whom I've taken into Firebrand. I stay put in chapter IX grinding out alliance reputation and collecting companions. I'm a little nervous to go past it.

I've been playing a lot over the holidays as my best friend's mother went into hospital on Christmas Day and then into hospice. I stayed to help take care of her through the end, and SWTOR entertained me and kept my spirits up through that harrowing process. I crafted and PVPed and talked to my guildmates a little between administering medications and doing laundry, and I came out the other side sadder but better off than I'd have been without this outlet. Sometimes what you really need is a little escape, and SWTOR provided me that.

I've been playing a lot over the holidays as my best friend's mother went into hospital on Christmas Day and then into hospice. I stayed to help take care of her through the end, and SWTOR entertained me and kept my spirits up through that harrowing process. I crafted and PVPed and talked to my guildmates a little between administering medications and doing laundry, and I came out the other side sadder but better off than I'd have been without this outlet. Sometimes what you really need is a little escape, and SWTOR provided me that.

Sounds like you were there for who needed you, t_euclidus, and that SWTOR was there for you, as well. I wish it had been under better circumstances, but the Force works in mysterious ways sometimes, doesn't it? Your sharing of the "harrowing process" helps make the point that us SWTORians are flesh and blood people complete with entanglements and struggles— and that we are people who appreciate those few precious minutes of release and escape that bolsters us so we can continue to fight another day.

It's probably why I find myself often looking forward to that evening fix of SWTOR after a full-on workday, although my workplace drama isn't even in the same Galaxy as what you had dropped into your lap over what's supposed to be one of the most joyful times of the year.

A tip of my helmet out of respect, and a bowed head of thankfulness that you shared your goings-on with the rest of us, t_euclidus!

This really is becoming my favorite place on the forum— such amazing and fully-dimensional people, all of you!

My girl hates PvP and enjoys the stories far more than anything after the class stories end. I find myself burnt out on traditional MMO endgame content and find myself replaying the class stories much like you have.

Been here since invite only closed testing. Those original class stories keep me here, they are fun. Other mmos also seem so lackluster compared to TOR when it comes to sucking you in, the fully voiced world and the conversations just make the ambiance here so great.

Just saw another thread dissatisfied with 5.0 and how it's making "Endgame Progression" difficult.

I don't get it. There aren't that many Operations are there? Sure there are harder versions of them but is that progression? There hasn't been a new Op for over a year, right?

I'll do the KOTFE and KOTET stories as a dark side character but my progression will be story progression, filling in the half dozen class stories I've not finished and all the previous endgame missions and expansions, as well as the special events.

Coming on a few times a week to run the same stuff every week doesn't appeal to me that much. I did it for a while in DCUO when that launched and it was fun being able to help guildies through it. In COH I loved repeating some of the Taskforces and even some story arcs, but part of the appeal of repeating stuff is doing it on different characters, with different powers and different choices. Sure some of that might just be superficial changes, but it gives me a better feeling than the most recent "raiding" I've done on Destiny where it was okay, but the dedication and repetition made the grind feel far more up front than say, playing through a class story on SWTOR and occasionally diverting into other parts of the game to level up a bit in a different way.

I have a question, one that I should know the answer to by now, but, eh, I don't.

I recently started switching between heals and dps on my BH, and I can't for the life of me, find a way to save my quickbars in a way that I have one setup that puts all my dps abilities in the slots where I last had them, and one that does the same with my healing ones, I'm tired of moving my abilities around! I'm not even sure that made sense, but I hope someone understands what I mean.

I have indeed saved different setups, but, my abilities don't stay where I want them to, just the way the quickbars are placed on the screen.

Any casual who can help out?lol

I have a question, one that I should know the answer to by now, but, eh, I don't.

 

I recently started switching between heals and dps on my BH, and I can't for the life of me, find a way to save my quickbars in a way that I have one setup that puts all my dps abilities in the slots where I last had them, and one that does the same with my healing ones, I'm tired of moving my abilities around! I'm not even sure that made sense, but I hope someone understands what I mean.

 

 

I have indeed saved different setups, but, my abilities don't stay where I want them to, just the way the quickbars are placed on the screen.

 

Any casual who can help out?lol

I don't think there is a way to do what you are describing, but I'm with you— if someone knows how to do this, I want to know, too!

The closest solution I know of is that we are able to setup a secondary tier of commands on one of the primary toolbars. The one I'm referring to has tiny up-down triangles at the right of it, and you can switch between (1) and (2) on that toolbar.

I don't think there is a way to do what you are describing, but I'm with you— if someone knows how to do this, I want to know, too!

 

The closest solution I know of is that we are able to setup a secondary tier of commands on one of the primary toolbars. The one I'm referring to has tiny up-down triangles at the right of it, and you can switch between (1) and (2) on that toolbar.

Yeah, unfortunately... Without a way to save that, the prevailing wisdom seems to be putting non-spec-specific abilities on bar 2 and leaving bar 1 empty to autopopulate with specced abilities when you change spec. Then you can quickly rearrange those to suit. It's not optimal, but SWTOR has gone out of its way to avoid backlash from former WoW or Rift players over automating too much of the game process. (It's why we still don't have mouseover macros for healing.)

Everyone still going?

Got my Sorcerer to lvl 70 tonight. The xp boost definitely helped on those last 2 levels! Still playing her through the Shadow of Revan story, as Flashpoints aside, this is my first taste of that expansion. Liking it a lot.

Probably going to be taking advantage of the boost to experience some of the other class stories. And my boosted lvl 70 Knight has Star Fortress stuff I just recently discovered, so I'll run her through some of that for the CXP probably. Last week I even teamed for a short while doing the Rakgoul missions on Alderaan. I wasn't the best but we got through it all fairly quickly.

I wanted to take a few moments to update my fellow casuals and other interested readers that I am in the process of completing the Ilum SWTORYline, which, I think, will complete the Classic SWTORy before I move on to Rise of the Hutt Cartel.

 

I'm presently at a total playtime of just over 2 Days, 22 hours, and 19mins.

 

Being on vacation has helped shorten that up, because normally I'm able to get in an hour or so of SWTOR a day, and I've been playing around 2-3 hours per day. I have been sticking with the Class SWTORy and the Planetary Arcs, with a smattering of Heroic Missions during the progression to 50 or so, and landed some remarkable greens that I couldn't improve on until I just yesterday reached level 65 gear. I passed on better gear when it meant that I would be wearing a different chest or leg piece, and made up the difference with the stab buffs.

 

After gearing up with 65 armor modifications, I proceeded to muck up my hotbar commands and ended up wasting most of Ilum trying to put things back where they were. I still haven't got it right for my muscle memory, but I think I've managed to at least find something that vaguely resembles what it was. Duh me!!

 

I'm progressing through Ilum in Story Mode, I guess it's called. I am able to summon a Terminobot to act like two more companions rolled into one. It feels long, but I wonder if that's because it has been so long (no pun intended) since I ran Ilum. Sort of the "Are we there yet?" conundrum when driving someplace new feels the longest that first drive there.

 

I mean, it's definitely been a long time since I've been to Ilum. Like waaaaaaay back. My usual modus operandi is to run an alt through their Class story, and stop there, only going on into Rise of the Hutt and Shadow or Revan, what? twice, maybe?

 

I wish I could explain why I am so satisfied with everything in Classic SWTOR, or why I've been disinclined to go the full distance. Classic just has everything I enjoy in an online game, I guess. I don't group with others, but always find it interesting to have all these players running around me as I progress through the Star Wars galaxy— throwing a haphazard buff where I can get lucky enough to click on a person.

But back to the task on-hand: Ilum, as I watch this alt become the first to go to the end of the available SWTORy.

 

We now return you to your regularly-scheduled program.

See above what I put in yellow.

You are not the only one that is this way. That is what I do. I play all 8 at once planet by planet through Corellia and stop. I have been trying to make a chronology for everything in the 8 class stories. I am on my last run to fill my 40 characters on Jedi Covenant. So, I am going to start anew on Shadowlands next due to you guys and gals in this thread.

The funny thing is usually I burn out and want to go play the Dragon Age games or even have fun in some classic Everquest, but having too much fun in my casual class story quests in SWTOR these days.

As a part time subscriber and alt-loving casual, I certainly wish that we were treated better by this game.

The current CXP boost is great, my two mains got to Command Level 25 until now with me playing a few heroics every day for it. Please keep it forever!

Second, let us get unassembled components from doing any content. Flashpoints, Uprisings, Heroics, all of it!

Everyone still going?

Got my Sorcerer to lvl 70 tonight. The xp boost definitely helped on those last 2 levels! Still playing her through the Shadow of Revan story, as Flashpoints aside, this is my first taste of that expansion. Liking it a lot.

Probably going to be taking advantage of the boost to experience some of the other class stories. And my boosted lvl 70 Knight has Star Fortress stuff I just recently discovered, so I'll run her through some of that for the CXP probably. Last week I even teamed for a short while doing the Rakgoul missions on Alderaan. I wasn't the best but we got through it all fairly quickly.

Hi there, craggy!

Yep, I'm still working my way through the "new" content offered by the GC expansion. There have been some fantastic moments, and I'm looking forward to bringing a Republic alt through it to cover the light side, as well as a character who will tend to play both sides at their own convenience. Not sure yet what classes either will be, so I am open to suggestions to consider (no spoilers, please!).

My current character just finished one of the two puzzzle segments of the story that had me pretty puzzled for a while there, but it was nice to have my brains tested instead of my button-mashing reflexes. Okay, I used the Hint ability all the way through it, and am pretty sure I might never have did things in the sequence they needed to. Thank you for the Hints button, Bioware, or I'd have gotten too discouraged... and for making the hints just vague enough that I still needed to figure some things out.

The way I figure it, the time it's taking me as a casual player who also happens to be a Founder who's been solidly subscribing since SWTOR began, I will forget most of the adventure I've been on with the expansions so my next two runs will be new, lol! (Apart from the significant moments, of course, which serve as pivotal moments— and yes, there are some choices I look forward to choosing differently on my next play-through, as I've stuck to dark side choices for this first play-through.